Private Spacecraft company SpaceX has released a video of its Dragon 2 capsule propulsive hover test. Dragon is SpaceX’s free-flying spacecraft that is the first private craft to deliver cargo to orbiting space stations. The propulsion hover test was deemed successful by the Elon Musk-owned company.
The Dragon is the leader of any current spacecraft in terms of bringing back payloads from space but was also primarily designed to transport humans. The hover test was significant in the quest to get the capsule to land on the ground instead of splashing in the ocean as current spacecraft do.
SpaceX is under contract from NASA and will continue to develop and refine the Dragon 2 ahead of the first manned tests set to take place in 2-3 years.
SpaceX’s first Dragon 2 test took place in 20015 on Novemeber 22 and was a short ignition of the capsules’s engines to ensure its propulsion system was working as it should.
Carried out early this year, the company’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas, SpaceX’s company’s assessment of the second trial was summarised in a short statement:
“Eight SuperDraco thrusters, positioned around the perimeter of the vehicle in pairs called “jet packs”, fired up simultaneously to raise the Crew Dragon spacecraft for a five-second hover, generating approximately 33,000 lbs of thrust before returning the vehicle to its resting position. This test was the second of a two-part milestone under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.”
The Dragon spacecraft features three configurations to meet cargo, crew and laboratory requirements. Cargo and crew configurations were designed to be identical enabling a quick capability transition between the two.
The way the spacecraft has been designed makes it easy to test crew situations with cargo payloads for maximum simulation trials and human safety.
The company also called the test a “picture-perfect propulsion hover test.” A successful test will be positive news for Mr Musk whose private spacecraft are the first to undertake tasks previously only carried out by Governments.
SpaceX recently renewed a contract to be one of the three space firms that will supply the Spacestation through 2024 and will look to build on the successful test to further its future space programmes.
